Abstract
This study developed a drone cyber-security fact sheet for knowledge managers to contribute to the agile mind-set of organisations by facilitating the generation of tacit and explicit knowledge and raising drone cyber-security awareness. Cyber-security is of primary importance in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) due to the many risks and threats facing the users of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) in open and closed surveillance data environments. The 4IR has introduced surveillance technology elements that present risks and cyber threats facing Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly known as drones. For example, data sensors can be used to measure the temperature, air pollution, light, noise, air pressure, and global positioning system (GPS) location, as well as monitor traffic, track individual movement, and many other functions. Drones have not yet been studied extensively in the context of knowledge management (KM), which made it necessary to develop knowledge associated with drone cyber-security (DCS) within the KM scope. Since DCS is a vast concept, the delimitation of this study was DCS elements, ranked by importance by UAV industry experts, for inclusion on a fact sheet for knowledge managers.
To investigate the elements of DCS and to develop a fact sheet for knowledge managers, the conceptual framework was built on the existing KM theory of socialisation, externalisation, combination, and internalisation (SECI). Abductive research strategy combined inductive and deductive approaches to identify themes and to rank DCS elements of relevance to knowledge managers of agile businesses. The research paradigm and methodological choice were exploratory sequential mixed methods design. Firstly, the qualitative approach was followed to identify potential elements through qualitative data analysis. Secondly, the quantitative approach was followed to rank the significance of elements through quantitative data analysis.
The research findings present and rank DCS elements, threats, and strategies. Based on the findings, the study recommends using a DCS fact sheet and SECI spiral and RANK application to gauge DCS awareness. In the SECI spiral, internalisation refers to knowledge that has been transformed from existing explicit to new, layered tacit knowledge as the SECI spiral expands to the next level of knowledge creation, acquisition, and increased awareness. For example, experienced drone operators will combine numerous DCS elements in a bouquet of drone operations, deliveries, utilities, mining, construction, energy, forestry, agriculture, infrastructure, surveying, mapping, transportation, public safety, emergency services, and essential security services. This means that an experienced drone operator will have internalised DCS elements at the level of drone data governance, inspection of data bottlenecks, and measuring drone data value. Each drone operator’s bouquet of DCS elements will be unique in the SECI spiral. If the
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bouquet includes counter-threat strategies, intelligent drone permissions, intelligent integration of drone data with an established workflow, and an intelligent approach of drone mapping software options, then the bouquet is evidence of the organisation’s agile mind-set.
In summary, this study has developed a DCS fact sheet for knowledge managers of agile organisations that consists of DCS elements, threats, and strategies. Threat intelligence and cyber-resilience are the expected outcomes of counter-threat strategies of agile businesses. Resilience and speed are the main characteristics of agile businesses in their adoption, application, and development of minimum viable products to market. The elements to be included on a DCS fact sheet for knowledge managers are the user, maintenance, environment, and experience. These elements are part of a bouquet of DCS elements on the SECI spiral. The fact sheet has a RANK application that serves as a gauge for measuring increased awareness of DCS. The SECI spiral illustrates increased DCS awareness by means of combining DCS elements.
In conclusion, the most significant findings, as mentioned above, were counter-threat strategies, intelligent drone permissions, an intelligent approach of drone mapping software options, and intelligent integration of drone data with an established workflow which demonstrate the organisation’s agile mind-set in the 4IR. The value of this study is for knowledge managers to be able to identify DCS elements, threats, and strategies that will boost their organisations’ speed in the adoption, application, and development of minimum viable products to market. The study’s recommendations are for organisations that utilise drones in their operations to maintain data integrity by ensuring data is not manipulated and corrupted. This study finds that KM is key to developing threat intelligence and cyber-resilience. Further research is required to expand the application of the SECI model for DCS awareness in accordance with the growing need for cyber-resilience.
Keywords: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, UAVs, drone cyber-security, knowledge management, drones, commercial drones, fact sheets, user elements, experience, environments, maintenance